Central Wisconsin Athletes Shine at 2026 WIAA State Track and Field Championships

LA CROSSE — A number of athletes from Central Wisconsin emerged victorious at the WIAA state track and field championships held at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium on June 5 and 6, showcasing their talent over two impressive days of competition. From first-time champions to repeat winners, many local competitors secured medals or achieved top finishes in their events.

On Saturday, June 6, in Division 1, Stevens Point's Zachariah Zillman earned a silver medal in the long jump, while teammate Salyssa Kellerman finished sixth in the triple jump. The SPASH relay team, consisting of Tessa Bruckhart, Lorena Hill, Emersyn Wavrunek, and Taylor Cejka, captured fourth in the 4 x 800 meter relay. However, it was the same school's relay team of Seubert, Hill, Mueller, and Wavrunek that triumphed, winning gold in the 4 x 400 relay. Wausau West's Maci Heise claimed silver in the 300-meter hurdles, and fellow Warrior Cullin Quance took home bronze in the long jump.

In Division 2, Colby’s Daelyn Rieck celebrated victory with a gold medal in the discus throw. Meanwhile, Division 3 saw Marathon’s Garrett Bracewell shine, winning gold in the boys 300-meter hurdles and silver in the 110-meter hurdles. Bracewell's teammates, Fred Tylinski, Luke Hoenish, and Brady Annis joined him in winning gold in the 4 x 200 relay. Chris Marcell also made headlines by breaking the shot put meet record while securing his second consecutive gold in that event.

Additionally, Assumption’s Michael Dolan brought home gold in the boys 3200-meter race, along with a silver in the 1600-meter event. His teammate, Bella Thomas, also excelled, winning gold in the 400-meter race and earning silver in the 100-meter race. Rosholt's Alex Wierzba captured gold in the boys 100-meter dash and silver in the 200-meter. Stratford’s Zander Zawislan won gold in both the 200-meter and 400-meter dash races, contributing to a strong showing from Central Wisconsin athletes.

Day one of the championships featured several notable performances as well, including D.C. Everest’s Xavier Edwards, who earned a silver medal in the triple jump. Various relay teams also made their mark, with Stevens Point’s boys 4 x 800 team finishing fourth and the girls securing a fifth-place finish in the 4 x 200 relay. Overall, the event highlighted the depth of talent in Central Wisconsin’s track and field programs, with numerous athletes stepping up to claim their spots on the podium.